House passes CR through 12.21; Senate still debating

The House passed a continuing resolution to keep the government open three more days—until Dec. 21.

The House passed the bill by voice vote today.

Congress passed a CR earlier this month to keep the government open through Dec. 18. The Senate hoped to pass an omnibus appropriations bill, but Major Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) pulled the bill Friday. Reid said Thursday that he would work out a short-term CR with the Republicans, but as of 6 p.m. Friday no deal had been worked out yet, according to a Senate Appropriations Committee spokesman.

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The Senate must pass a CR by midnight on Sunday to avoid a government shutdown.

Senate Republicans are calling for a longer-term CR through mid-February. The White House earlier this week said it supported a year-long CR keeping funding at 2010 levels.

Democrats had hoped to pass a much broader spending bill to fund the government through fiscal year 2011. But faced with a lack of Republican support, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) scrapped that $1.1 trillion bill Thursday in favor of a shorter-term fix, keeping spending at current levels.